Storrs, Connecticut - Olivia Mullings, an eighth grade student at John Wallace Middle School in Newington, has been named the recipient of the Patent Award at the 34th Annual Connecticut Invention Convention State Finals, held recently at Gampel Pavilion at the University of Connecticut.

Connecticut Invention Convention is the oldest continuously operating invention education program in the country, involving more than 300,000 students over 34 years. This year, for the first time, students have had the added requirement of qualifying for the state finals by being selected at one of four regional events in March and April, in addition to their local school competitions.

This past year, nearly 17,000 Connecticut students in more than 250 schools participated in invention education through the Connecticut Invention Convention, learning to identify and solve problems in their lives or their communities. Mullings came out on top in competition with more than 650 inventors from across the state who presented their inventions to judges, with her invention "Temp Safe." Temp Safe sends multiple distress signals and opens the car windows if a baby or pet is left inside a hot car. The award was presented to Mullings by the prestigious, Hartford-based intellectual property law firm of McCormick, Paulding & Huber, with decades of experience in patents, trademarks and copyrights. The firm will work with Mullings pro bono to help her gain patent protection for her invention. Deanne Bell, co-host of the CNBC TV show "Make me a Millionaire Inventor," worked with MP&H attorney John Linderman, to review the student inventions and select Mullings for the award. "We are so proud of Olivia for her ability to identify a significant societal issue and for her hard work to create a viable solution that could very well save lives," said Ron Katz, the Connecticut Invention Convention's executive director.The National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo (NICEE) will take place at the US Patent and Trademarks Office in Washington, D. C. on June 1 - 3. Participation is by invitation only. Parents of invited inventors have been notified and they are all excited to represent their school, town, and Connecticut!

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